Behind a Silver Mask
by SweetiePye2332
Summary: DMOC Ever since our first year, We've hated each other... Now, I'm not so sure.
1. Chapter 1

Cara looked frightened as she stepped up onto the train. She waved meekly goodbye to her mother, who was standing on the platform, watching her only daughter leave for school.

"Goodbye, sweetie! Don't forget to write!" she yelled. Cara rolled her eyes.

"I won't!" Cara yelled, grinning. With a last and brief look at her parents, she stepped into the main hall of the train.

Glancing around her, Cara looked for an empty compartment. She was fairly shy around new people, especially when they were all older than her. She was afraid that they would taunt her, calling, 'First year! First year!'. She certainly looked her age, or even younger. Cara was a tiny girl with auburn hair and vivid blue eyes. No matter what she ate, she couldn't seem to gain any weight. This often worried her doctor, and her parents had to make arrangements for Cara to get all of her vitamins at Hogwarts.

Spying a likely compartment, Cara slid open the door. I was empty. She sat down, and watched the rain dribble down the window pane. The train still hadn't left the station, because Cara had been very early. The train wouldn't leave for another 15 minuets. Cara thought about the new friends- and enemies- she would make during her first year.

A few moments later, her cousin and close friend, Hermione Granger walked in with a shy-looking boy.

"Hello Cara. Have you seen a toad? Neville here's lost one." Asked Hermione.

"His name is Trevor!" wailed the boy.

Cara smiled, and said "I haven't seen him, but I'll look."

Hermione grinned, and thanked her as she walked out of the compartment. A few moments later, A tall, gangly-looking red head walked into the compartment, his head down. Cara could hear loud laughter in the hallway, and guesses whoever was laughing was laughing at him.

"Hello. I'm Cara." She said, extending a hand.

The boy glanced up in surprise, but smiled and shook her hand. "Ron Weasley. Didn't see you there, Cara."

"It's ok, I could really use some company. This is your first year, yes?"

"Yeah." Said Ron. "I'm the 5th one to come to Hogwarts."

Cara looked puzzled, and Ron added, "I have 4 older brothers."

"Wow! I always wanted a brother. You're so lucky." Said Cara.

Ron shook his head. "You have no idea…"

Just then, another tall, first-year boy walked in.

"Is this seat taken?" he asked, sitting next to Ron.

"Oh, no, sit down!" said Cara.

The boy grinned. "I am sitting."

Suddenly, Ron gasped. "You're Harry Potter!"

Harry blushed. "Yeah… about that…"

"Can I see your scar?" asked Ron.

Harry lifted up his shaggy bangs, revealing the jagged scar on his forehead.

"Wow." Said Ron and Cara.

"Where did you get a scar shaped like that? It's awful funny-looking." Asked Cara.

"Well…"said Harry, before being cut off by Ron.

"He was almost killed by you know who, and that's the scar from the evil curse! Don't you know anything?"

Cara flushed. "Not exactly! My Mother is a witch, but my Dad never knew until I got my letter. Dad left as soon as Mom told him, out of fear. Mom barely explained Hogwarts to me, let alone what I'm doing here…"

Harry gave her a sympathetic look, and Ron looked very sorry that he had asked.

"Can you tell me anything? I have no clue what to expect."

Ron's face lit up. He knew everything there was to know about the wizarding world, and Cara- and Harry- became experts also, as the night settled in.

"We will be arriving in 5 minutes." Announced the stewardress. "Please change into your robes."

Harry and Ron left the compartment so Cara could have some privacy. She slid her ebony robes over her petite figure, admiring the way the folds fell just right. She smoothed her hair, and called to Harry and Ron that they could come back in.

**10 minuets later**

"I can't wait to get sorted! What house do you think I'll be in?" asked Cara eagerly, as the three walked into Hogwarts for the first time.

"I dunno…" said Ron. "Maybe Ravenclaw." He sighed. "I know I'll be in Gryffindor." He turned to Harry. "What house do you want to be in?"

Harry began to speak, but was cut off by Professor McGonagall.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. You will be sorted soon enough, so while you wait, please form an orderly line." She left the room, leaving the First years' to socialize.

A girl with twinkling brown eyes came up to her.

"Hi!" she said. "I'm Parvati! What's your name?"

Cara smiled. "I'm Cara." She paused a moment. "Aren't you nervous? I hope I get a good house!"

The embellished doors to the great hall creaked as they opened, and the First-years were brought in.


	2. Chapter 2

Cara gazed, wide-eyed, at her surroundings. The huge room, the Great Hall, was appropriately named, for it was rich in color and texture. The celing sparkled with stars, just like the night sky. In fact, they looked very real…

Also in the room were four long tables, and detailed banners in four colors. She saw the four houses, Gryffindor, Huffelpuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. At the Gryffindor table, she saw that all the people were… normal- looking, including three red- heads waving at Ron.

"Hello, ickle Ronniekins! Have a nice trip?" said one of them. _ Poor Ron!_ Cara thought.

The Ravenclaws looked a bit… snooty, like they thought they were better than the rest of the school. Ron had said this was the house for the exceptionally bright, but she did not want to be with a bunch of snobs for seven years!

The Hufflepuff table looked very sweet and kind, as they smiled at all the first years. It was the house for the kind and gentle, so Cara wasn't surprised. She didn't think it was the house for her, but she would probably make some friends that were in that house.

Finally, she glanced over at the Slytherin table. The house for the sly, indeed! More like the house for the cold-hearted! They sneered at the new students, not welcoming them, even those like Draco, whom she figured was a born Slytherin.

At last they reached the front of the hall. Professor McGonagall set down a worn, shabby hat. Cara wondered, _why is it so important?_ Then, it began to sing.

_Oh you may not think me pretty,  
But don't judge on what you see,   
I'll eat myself if you can find  
A smarter hat than me.  
You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
And I can cap them all.  
There's nothing hidden in your head  
The Sorting Hat can't see,  
So try me on and I will tell you  
Where you ought to be._

You might belong in _Gryffindor,__   
Where dwell the brave at heart,  
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry  
Set Gryffindors apart;  
You might belong in __Hufflepuff__,   
Where they are just and loyal,  
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
And unafraid of toil;  
Or yet in wise old __Ravenclaw__,   
if you've a ready mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,   
Will always find their kind;  
Or perhaps in __Slytherin__   
You'll make your real friends,  
Those cunning folks use any means  
To achieve their ends._

So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
And don't get in a flap!  
You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
For I'm a Thinking Cap! 

Cara was stunned! A talking hat? And she was going to be put into her house based on what the hat saw inside her head? How very peculiar! Then again, she was at a school to learn magic, so it really should have been expected.

Professor McGonagal began to read the names alphabetically. Cara's last name, White, came right after Ron's, so all she had to do was listen for it.

She was jolted to attention when a rude boy shoved into her, so hard, she began to topple over! Fortunatly, a pale haired boy caught her, and put her upright. He seemed kind, but his eyes were steely grey and cold. He would be put into Slytherin, she was sure.

His name was Draco Malfoy, and sure enough, he was sorted into Slytherin, as the hat berely grazed his platinum hair.

Ron whispered in her ear, "Stay away from him, you can never trust a Malfoy." She figured he knew better than she did, so she nodded, and continued to wait.

When Cara's name was finally called, she was nervous! So many people, all watching her! What if she stumbled? But, no, with surprising grace, she made her way to the stool, and sat down, The hat was placed on her head, and the noises in the hall were drowned out as the hat spoke in her ear.

"Quite bright you are my dear! Passionate and determined too… yes, dear, you doubt me? You are braver than you think." The hat yelled out "Gryffindor!"

Cara stood, and looked for where Harry and Ron were sitting. She located them quickly, and went to sit down.

The rest of the sorting went quickly enough, and soon an elderly man with half-moon spectacles came up to the podium.

"Who's that?" Cara whispered to Ron.

"You've got to be joking! That's Albus Dumbledore, that is!" said Ron.

Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat, and spoke. " I would like to say a few words. Poppycock, lemon-drop, and bogey-bat wing. Thank you, enjoy the feast!"

Cara thought him rather odd, as she dug in to a chicken leg, and mashed potatoes.

"Ron," she asked, "What's so bad about Draco Malfoy? He seemed decent…"

Ron stared at her. "Decent? You call that decent? Malfoys are evil, and cruel, awful to mudbloods, and half bloods, like yourself. They think they're better than everyone else."

"Oh," said Cara. "Harry, will you pass the rolls?"

As dinner concluded, Cara felt very content. The trio followed the rest of the students to their rooms, and were pleased with the common room. They said goodnight as they separated into their rooms, and cara discovered that she would be sharing a room with Parvati, and two other girls named Hermione, and Jenna. They all seemed very kindly, and Cara was sure she would enjoy getting to know them better as the years went on.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The next morning, Cara woke earlier than the others. She showered, got dressed, and went for a walk outside. The grounds seemed very beautiful, and they were even better in person. Cara walked for about twenty minutes, and then went in for breakfast.

Harry and Ron weren't down yet, so she sat with Parvati and Hermione.

"So," Parvati asked, "See any boys you fancy yet?" She seemed very boy crazy, and gossipy, which was fun for Cara.

"Not quite yet." Cara answered. "I like to get to know them a bit first."

She took a bagel. "What about you, Hermione?"

She rolled her eyes. "The boys in our year are so immature. I can't see myself with any of them!" And with that, she dug her nose back into her copy of _Hogwarts, a History_.

"Is that a good book?" asked Cara. She enjoyed reading, but apparently not as much as Hermione.

"Oh, yes, just started it last night, it's very intriguing!" said Hermione. It was surprising, because she claimed to have started it last night, but she was about 2/3 of the way through with it.

When the boys finally came down, Cara was just finishing.

"I'm going to run back to the dormitories and get my books," she told them. "I'll see you in Charms!"

She walked out of the entrance hall, and spied Malfoy around the corner. _I'd better keep my distance!_ She thought, remembering what Ron had told her.

Keeping her head down, she tried to walk by unnoticed, but to no avail. Draco niticed her all right. And he came over, and introduced himself.

"I'm Draco, Draco Malfoy." He held out his hand for her to shake. She grasped it briefly, and said coolly, "Pleasure."

"So", said Draco, "Who are you?"

"Cara," she said, "Cara White."

Draco looked pleased. "So you are a pure blood then?"

"No," said Cara, "Half."

His expression chilled. "Well, I must be going. Good day then."

Cara rolled her eyes, Ron was right. He was stony to those who were, ahem, 'below his station'. She continued on to her room to collect her books.

Five minutes later, she met the others back in front of the Great Hall.

"What's up?" asked Harry. "You look a bit… ticked off."

Cara groaned. "Malfoy, that's what! He saw me in the halls, and was acting all friendly, until he found out I wasn't a 'pure-blood'. You were right, Ron."

They arrived at the charms classroom, and took their seats. The tiny Professor Flitwick came in, and stood on his stool.

"Good Morning, class. Today we will learn how to make objects fly!"

"How exciting!" said Cara in a hushed whisper to Parvati.

"Now," said Professor Flitiwick, "The incantation is _Wingardium Leviosa _ Repeat after me, without wands, please! Wingardium…"

"Wingardium…"

"Leviosa!"

"Leviosa!"

The professor looked pleased. "Very good! Now let's practice the wand movement. It's a bit of a swish and flick. Now you try. Swish… and flick."

Cara tried the movement, and found it to be quite easy. Ron had some difficulty- his swish and flick was more of a swing and jab. Harry was doing fine, and Parvati had grasped the concept.

"Now try it with the incantation on your feathers. On the count of here, one… two… three!"

"Wingardium Leviosa!" said Cara, as she swished and flicked her wand. The feather floated upward, as if being pulled on by a string.

"Excellent, Take 10 points each Ms. White and Ms. Granger. Careful, Mr. Weasley!"

Ron had managed to get his feather into the air, but alas, it had burst into flames!

"Now, Ron," said Hermione, "It's Levi-Oh-sah. Not Levio-sah."

Ron rolled his eyes, and later, after their lesson, mimicked Hermione.

"It's Levi-Oh-sah… She's a nightmare, honestly!" said an annoyed Ron.

Hermione pushed past Cara, crying. She had been right behind them, and had heard the whole thing.

Cara looked over at Ron. "Nice job, Ron!" and ran after Hermione.

"Hermione, wait! Wait up, 'Mione, he didn't mean it!"

And she followed Hermione into the girl's room, hoping to console her.


End file.
